


Date Night

by celeste9



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: F/F, First Dates, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-31
Updated: 2016-12-31
Packaged: 2018-09-13 17:20:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9133828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celeste9/pseuds/celeste9
Summary: Tifa and Aeris enjoy their night off in the Gold Saucer.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Fandom stocking fic from 2015 I never reposted! For wallwalker.

“Bleurgh,” Aeris said, wrinkling her nose and making a face at her drink, though she did manage to swallow it. “This is disgusting.”

Tifa shrugged and took another sip of her own drink. “It’s cheap, that’s for sure. Didn’t think Cloud would appreciate us spending all the gil on high-end liquor.”

“Well, personally I think we would have deserved it.” Nevertheless, Aeris valiantly swallowed another mouthful.

Hiding her grin, Tifa said, “Something you want to say?”

“Oh, no, just that I’m tired and my feet hurt and if we get _one night off,_ I just think we ought to enjoy it.”

“Like Cloud is?”

Aeris giggled. “I’m sure he and Barret are having a lovely time.”

“I heard there’s supposed to be a fireworks display.”

“Aw, so romantic!”

“You know, I think Cloud probably would prefer to be spending the night with you.”

Aeris’ wide, surprised eyes weren’t even feigned. “Really? I thought he wanted to be with you.”

Tifa tilted her glass in a circle, watching the liquid slosh around the bottom. “I’m sure that isn’t true.” Tifa had never been Cloud’s first choice, and she never would be.

Aeris touched gentle fingers to Tifa’s wrist. “Cloud cares for you.”

“Let’s not talk about him,” Tifa said, forcing some brightness into her tone. “You said you wanted to enjoy our time here, so what would you like to do?”

“Well,” Aeris said, jumping off her stool. “First off, I think we should get out of the hotel bar and actually take advantage of our stay here in the Saucer.”

“You think so?” Tifa eyed her friend doubtfully. She was feeling rather comfortable right there in the hotel, actually. Still, she _had_ asked…

Aeris pulled Tifa’s hands, forcing her up. “I do! Come on, Tifa, let’s not let the boys have all the fun. How about those fireworks?”

Tifa found herself smiling in spite of herself. As ever, Aeris’ cheerfulness and bright nature was impossible to resist.

They got two tickets to ride in the gondola, high above the ground and through the Gold Saucer. It was nice, actually, Tifa was forced to admit, better than sitting at a bar. Aeris clapped and squealed as the chocobos raced by, so close she could almost have reached out to brush their feathers. The lights were so bright, the colors so vivid.

Fireworks burst out in the night sky, a boom of noise, seeming to rain color down onto the gondola. Aeris’ face seemed to shine, the light catching in her brown hair.

_If Cloud doesn’t want to be sitting here with her,_ Tifa thought, _then he’s a fool._

Tifa blinked, once, twice. Had she just…

Aeris was watching her, the faintest of smiles touching her lips. “What are you thinking about?” she asked.

“Nothing,” Tifa said, too quickly.

The tilt of Aeris’ mouth and the gleam of her eyes were too knowing, like she could tell, like she knew that Tifa was… had just… What?

She could admire Aeris, right? She could do that. It didn’t mean anything. Anyone could see that she was beautiful. Beautiful and kind and somehow… _other,_ like she was meant for more than the rest of them, like she was above the dirt and the grime of this world that they were all stuck in. She was filled with love in spite of all she had seen, in spite of all that had been done to her, and there was an inviting softness to her that covered the steel of her spirit.

Tifa could feel her skin reddening and she hastily looked back out the window, trying to focus on the sights and sounds of the Gold Saucer rather than the woman sitting across from her, rather than her own thumping heart and jumbled thoughts.

When they touched solid ground again, Aeris raised her arms above her head and stretched, spinning in a circle. “That was fun! Better than a foul-tasting cheap drink at that dim bar, right, Tifa?”

“It was,” Tifa agreed.

Aeris was smiling again; she was always smiling. “Thanks for coming with me,” she said, and leaned in to press a brief kiss to Tifa’s cheek.

Tifa was so startled that she froze, unable to do anything but stand there and stare, smelling the flowers that seemed to cling to Aeris’ skin and feeling the softness of her lips. She swallowed as Aeris stepped back, her mouth dry. “My… my pleasure.”

That knowing look was in Aeris’ eyes again, but it wasn’t unkind, and all she said was, “Want to see what else there is to do?”

So Tifa answered in the only way possible. “We can do anything you like.”

**_End_ **


End file.
